A Premium Pack for the Aspire included Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM). ACC maintains a safe distance between the
vehicle in front even at very low speeds and FCM detected obstacles on the road ahead and automatically applied the brakes to help avoid a collision.

The Premium option also included a power tailgate and seven-inch colour display/touch panel. Audio was upgraded to a Rockford Fosgate Premium system with
nine speakers.

For 2014 the Outlander range received upgrades to equipment levels and some price adjustments. Specification changes from 13MY included 18-inch five-spoke
aluminium wheels fitted across the range, along with black roof rail detail.

Aspire variants benefited from the inclusion of an electric sunroof as well as many of the previous models ‘premium pack’ option items fitted as standard
for 14MY, adding approximately $5750 worth of added value. Items included HID headlamps with washers, a power tailgate as well as the MMCS audio and
satellite navigation system, along with the Outlander’s advanced safety technologies - Forward Collision Mitigation and Adaptive Cruise Control.

Petrol or diesel

Mitsubishi mightn’t be the slickest marketing organisation on the planet, but the company’s automotive engineering
is as good as it gets.

The Three-Diamond boys didn’t make the common mistake of shoe-horning a diesel into a petrol driveline, but approached the two powertrains as clean CAD-screen
exercises.

A petrol engine needs to rev faster than a diesel engine for a given power output and produces less torque at higher revs as well. In the case of the Outlander
engines the 2.4-litre petrol needed to sing at 6000rpm for its 110kW, where the turbo-filled diesel loped at 3500rpm for the same output. The
diesel grunted out 360Nm of torque in the 1500rpm-2750rpm band, where the petrol engine did no better than 220Nm at a heady 4200rpm. These characteristics
were reflected in the Outlander powertrains.

The 2.4-litre MIVEC petrol engine mated to a purpose-designed CVT with a ratio spread of 2.35:1 to 0.39:1. Obviously, such a tall overdrive needed a special
final drive ratio, so it’s no surprise to see 6.47:1 diffs fitted to the petrol 4WD Outlander.

The 2.2-litre diesel mated to a torque-converter, six-ratio automatic transmission with a gear spread of 4.20:1 to 0.69. This conventional powertrain linked
to front and rear diffs with typical 3.36:1 final drive ratios.

Despite the differences in engine outputs and transmission ratios the petrol and diesel Outlanders performed similarly, as our on and off road testing
showed. We expected the diesel to be king off-road, but that’s not what we discovered. Both vehicles handled our mild off-road course with ease.

On-road there was very little mechanical noise, vibration and harshness in either vehicle and none of our passengers could distinguish the diesel from
the petrol. From the driver’s seat the diesel model’s steering wheel effort was slightly heavier.

We’ve driven several passenger cars with CVTs and found some to be jerky and harsh in action, but Mitsubishi had no such issues with the Outlander CVT.

However, in all conditions the diesel used two to three litres less fuel per 100 kilometres than the petrol vehicle did. Another plus for the diesel powertrain
was a trailer rating of two tonnes, compared with the petrol’s 1.6 tonnes.

If we were buying an Outlander we’d have chosen the diesel, because of its torque and economy edge, and its greater towing capacity, but for people who
wanted a town vehicle that occasionally went off road the petrol machine would do the job.
For bush travel we’d have a set of steel 16-inchers, fitted with 215/75R16 LT tyres.

Living with the Outlander

Our
two test vehicles were top-shelf petrol and diesel Outlander Aspires, both fitted with optional Premium Packs. Thus kitted, the petrol model had a
RRP of $49,000 and the diesel, $51,000. (If that was a big ask the LS spec’ was mechanically identical, for around nine grand less.)

We’ll get a gripe out of the way first: the Aspire’s Smart Key – the stupidest thing to be called ‘smart’ since George Bush’s college graduation – meant
you could start the vehicle with the key in someone else’s pocket; drop him or her off somewhere and then be stuck with an engine you daren’t turn
off. The sooner this ridiculous push-button-start craze fades away, the better. The ES and LS Outlanders had conventional ignition keys – hurrah!

The other Aspire goodies were great: auto wipers and headlights; reverse camera; easy to use nav system; remote, powered tailgate and heaters to take the
chill off the leather seats. The paddle shifts looked cool, but you’d need to be pressing-on to warrant using them.

The features that all Outlanders share worked well: voice-activated Bluetooth pairing; steering wheel audio and cruise controls; reversing sensors; climate
control and tilt-telescopic steering wheel.

The Aspire’s seven seat layout worked simply, thanks to a second-row seat that slid to aid third-row entry. That said, the back stalls are still best for
a couple of kids.

Softroaders by their nature have a lower centre of gravity than ‘real’ 4WDs, so handling is car-like and the Outlanders behaved well on sealed roads, with
flat cornering ability and precise steering. Many softroaders dislike even mild corrugations, but the Outlanders felt quite comfortable on gravel roads.

We
checked out the Aspire Premium Pack’s adaptive cruise control and emergency braking and found both systems very effective. The ACC system incorporates
three levels of distance between the Outlander and a vehicle in front, allowing the driver to select a comfortable cruising position.

The Forward Collision Mitigation (FCM) system is designed to monitor the closing distance between the Outlander and a vehicle or object in front. When
it detects a potential collision FCM pre-loads the brake pressure and, if the driver fails to react, automatically applies moderate braking pressure.
If the driver still doesn’t brake, the system ramps up pressure to emergency level.

While we trust Mitsubishi’s technology, we didn’t perform a field test of the FCM system!

Both vehicles had ‘Eco’ dashboard buttons that sent the driveline into front wheel drive, with automatic 4WD engagement available automatically when road
conditions became loose or slippery. In this mode and with a light load on board we recorded 8.6L/100km from the petrol Outlander and 6.3L/100km from
the diesel.

The other drive options, available via successive button pressings, were 4WD Auto and 4WD Lock, that we used on our bush trail course. In Lock mode and
with the vehicles’ traction control systems operating the two Outlanders did all that most owners would expect of them on bush trails. We didn’t venture
onto beach sand, because that’s a much more risky destination, where low range gearing and fat tyres are necessary: many softroaders come to grief
on the waterfront.

When trail driving and rock shelf climbing at low speeds the petrol Outlander consumed up to 13.3L/100km, while the diesel sipped 10.1L/100km.

2016 Outlander

The
2016 Outlander was launched in May 2015, with improvements to noise levels, ride, handling and throttle response.

For us, the downside was yet another front-end styling change, just when we thought Mitsubishi had sorted its family styling. The new front aped Lexus,
yet managed to be even uglier, if that's possible!

The Outlander had greater structural rigidity, stiffened suspension design with larger-diameter rear dampers, new electric power steering calibration
and less vibration and harshness. A modified engine air intake system for petrol and diesel engines combined with noise-isolating windscreen glass
and improved weather stripping to help reduce noise.

Chrome grille, silver skid plate and LED daytime running lamps appeared up front and a new bumper, skid plate and LED combination lamps distinguished
the rear end. New 18-inch aluminium wheels were fitted.

The Exceed model gained LED headlamps.

Pricing ranged from $33,490 to $46,490

The Outlander Hybrid is here

We
first saw the new Outlander bodywork at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, although it was displayed then as a hybrid concept vehicle called PX-MiEVII. The
concept vehicle’s bodywork had a production-ready look about it: confirmed when the new Outlander was launched a year later.

The Outlander Hybrid is Mitsubishi Motors’ first plug-in hybrid production vehicle and is a true electric vehicle in that two front and one rear electric
motors propel it. Power from the motors is split 60kW at the front wheels and 60kW at the rear with peak torque of 137Nm front and 195Nm rear.

A 12kWh/300V lithium ion battery provides enough juice for a 50+km range on electric power alone.

The Outlander Hybrid has a two-litre petrol engine that can act as a battery charger when the voltage level drops – series hybrid operation – or as the
principal powerplant, with electric motor backup – parallel hybrid operation. The Hybrid automatically selects the optimum drive mode, but the driver
can elect to override that selection should more performance be required.

Our testing of other hybrid softroaders indicates that performance of the Outlander Hybrid should exceed that of the straight petrol or diesel models.

The plug-in charging system is said to be capable of performing a full charge, via a 15-amp power supply, in around 4.5 hours and a quick charge, to 80
percent of battery capacity, in as little as 30 minutes. The combined petrol/electric operating range is estimated at 880km.

Fuel economy is claimed to be 1.9 litres/100km in the Combined Cycle, but that figure relies on full contribution from a battery that’s fully charged by
mains supply.

Living with the Outlander PHEV

We
found the PHEV little different from conventional Outlanders, other than for the additional weight - 280kg - of the associated battery, electric motors,
wiring, charger and control units. It felt heavier on and off road.

Economy is the main driver of hybrid vehicles and that's where we concentrated our testing.

We confirmed Mitsubishi's claim of 50km operating range on battery and front electric motor alone, following overnight charging from a 15-amp mains power
point. This test was done without traffic, on gently undulating roads.

When driven in Sydney peak hour traffic condtions we managed an hour and a half driving for 50 kilometres with very little petrol engine contribution,
for an average of 0.8L/100km.

Stretching the drive to 150km, following an overnight full battery charge, with a combination of some traffic and open road touring,
we managed 6.7L/100km.

When driven over the same route, but starting with a flat battery, the fuel consumption worked out at 8.4L/100km.

Our conclusion is that the Outlander PHEV is best suited to the daily commute, where it can do most distance on battery power alone, followed by weekend
jaunts that could include some mild firetrail work. We don't think this powertrain is suited to long-distance touring, where the diesel model comes
into its own.